Task – ‘Open-source’ task. Theory – 10 point task – a ‘Open-source’ task. Find/identify main postulates of given great thinker/scholar [from Martin Griffiths

boaventura de sousa santos
Boaventura de Sousa Santos is a Portuguese sociologist and legal scholar who is known for his contributions to critical theory in the field of international relations (IR). Some of his main postulates are:

1. 
   Epistemological pluralism: Santos argues that there is no one correct or universal way of understanding the world, and that multiple perspectives and epistemologies must be considered in the analysis of global processes and problems.
   
2. 
   The role of power in knowledge production: Santos critiques the domination of Western, Eurocentric knowledge production and argues that non-dominant and marginalized perspectives must be taken into account in the production of knowledge.
   
3. 
   The importance of counter-hegemonic struggles: Santos argues that struggles against dominant power structures, including those of the global North, are necessary for transforming oppressive structures and creating a more just and equal world.
   

Some relevant illustrations of these postulates in IR include:

1. 
   The World Social Forum (WSF): Santos has been a prominent participant and intellectual supporter of the WSF, a global platform for anti-globalization and pro-justice movements to come together and articulate alternative visions for the world. The WSF represents an example of the type of counter-hegemonic struggles Santos advocates for.
   
2. 
   The Zapatista movement in Mexico: Santos has also written extensively about the Zapatista movement in Mexico, which advocates for indigenous rights and autonomy in the face of state repression and globalization. The Zapatistas embody Santos’s postulate of the importance of counter-hegemonic struggles against dominant power structures.
   
3. 
   The construction of alternative epistemologies: Santos has been involved in various initiatives to construct alternative epistemologies and knowledge production processes, such as the formation of the Network of Intellectuals, Artists, and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity and the establishment of the interdisciplinary program in Global Studies at the University of Coimbra. These initiatives represent examples of Santos's commitment to epistemological pluralism and the need to challenge dominant power structures in knowledge production.